Selecting Urban’s new food provider was a long process. Diane
Walters, Urban’s Chief Financial
Officer, said, “a couple people we
interviewed came close, but they
all had certain caveats. Fare was
the company that was the closest to
what we were actually looking for.”
Before Urban, Fare Resources
worked on food design and operations in private businesses.
The team’s vision for Urban was
to “create a company around
their values: sustainable sourcing, paying people well, and trying to create an internal culture
around food in a school” Gavin
Crynes, Fare’s Co-Founder and
Chief Operating Officer explained.
Walters noted that all the potential providers were about the
same price, but Fare was “offering something that’s substantially different from what we have
heard from any other providers.”
Rachel Sillcocks, Executive Chef
at Fare, clarified Fare’s sourcing
philosophy; “I wanted to use the
same sorts of products that I have
used at restaurants I have worked at
in the past [such as Nopa, Piccino
and Range], and be able to integrate that into a menu that you guys
would really want to eat.” As a result, all fish that Fare serves is wild,
all meat is pasture raised, and finished on grass, or non GMO grain.
95 percent of the food they serve is
organic, with the remaining 5 percent being farms that cannot afford

50 YEARS
OF URBAN,
NOW WHAT?
to be certified but still maintain the
same level of care in their growing practices. Furthermore, ninety
percent of all produce and meat is
sourced within a 250-mile radius of
the school, and changes seasonally.
Crynes added, “we are not just
buying the roast beef, we are making roast beef. We are not buying mayonnaise; we are making
the mayonnaise from scratch.”
Another pillar of Fare’s philosophy is paying their workers
a substantial living wage. “All of
our hourly labor make between
$20 to $25 an hour,” Crynes explained, “and all receive 100 percent (health) coverage from Fare,
and then an additional 25 percent
coverage for any of their dependents.” This amount is significantly
more than the San Francisco minimum wage, which is $13 an hour.
Due to the meticulous sourcing
of Fare’s food, and high salaries,
Fare is not profiting at the moment. Crynes remarked “we are
stubborn to a fault when it comes
to the sourcing of the food. Changing sourcing and paying less to our
workers would increase profit, but
with the way we are running our
company this is not an option.”

continued on pages 6 and 7

October 2016

Urban students
react to new
Salkind Center
by Colin Heath
staff writer

After 15 months of constuction, the Mark Salkind center,
Urban’s largest physical expansion in its history, is complete. The
building was designed by the architecture firm Pfau Long. According to the firm, the building adds
25,850 square feet of usable space
(an expansion of over 50%) in the
form of a new gym, additional
classrooms, offices, and a rooftop
field. The North Campus Expansion also coincides with the expansion of the student body to its largest ever population, 417 students.
With these changes comes a new
architectural emphasis. “Through
many discussions with the school
… the largest piece of philosophy that shows through is having
this openness within the building, openness to both the exterior as well as the openness to
the Gym, and the connection

continued on pages 6 and 7

MORE OF what's inside...
The Complexities of Choosing A Meal: page 5
Trump Versus Clinton: page 8
Meet the Frosh: page 12
Top left photograph taken from http://www.urbanat50.org/, top right photograph taken by Olivia
Meehan.

In the heat of a contentious presidential election, it is easy to overlook local politics. However, it is essential not to grow apathetic toward civic engagement. The 2016 California ballot is full of propositions that could greatly impact our community, the state, and possibly the country. The Legend encourages Urban community members of all
ages to stay informed on these issues and all adults to vote. Below is a summary of some of the most important propositions on the ballot this year; read up and go vote!

Prop 53: Proposition 53 is a vote to
require voter approval for all government projects necessitating the sale
of over $2 billion in revenue bonds. If
the bill is passed, it will require that a
statewide vote be held before the state
government can issue more than $2
billion in bonds for major infrastruc-

ture projects. Proponents of the bill
say it improves government accountability, prevents wasteful spending,
and promotes democracy. Opponents of the bill say it could result in
too much state control over the approval of local infrastructure projects.

Prop 56: Proposition 56 is a vote to increase taxes on tobacco products sold
in California. If the bill is passed, it
would raise the state taxes on a pack of
cigarettes from $0.87 to $2.87. It would
also raise taxes on tobacco products
such as e-cigarettes, dip, etc. The new
tax would increase state revenues by
$1-1.4 billion annually, a number that
is predicted to decline over the next
couple years as smoking rates decrease,
especially considering the recent raise
on the smoking age. This money would

Prop 62: Proposition 62 is a vote on repealing the death penalty and increasing
victim restitution. If the bill is passed,
the death penalty would be forbidden
in California. All current and future
death sentences would be supplanted
by life sentences without the possibility
of parole. The bill would also increase
the wage garnishing of life inmates to
fund more victim restitution payments.
Prop 62 would lead to about $150 million per year in budgetary savings. If

Prop 64: Proposition 64 is a vote on
the state legalization and regulation of
cannabis for adults age 21 and over. If
the bill is passed, “adults 21 years of
age or older could legally grow, possess, and use marijuana for nonmedical purposes, with certain restrictions.”
The bill would reduce criminal enforcement costs by tens of millions of dollars annually and lead to over $1 billion
in tax revenues annually from recreational marijuana sales. Marijuana will
remain federally prohibited. If the bill

www.urbanlegendnews.org

be spent on “health care for low-income Californians.” Proponents of
the bill say that tobacco related health
issues cost taxpayers $3.5 billion annually and that this new tax is necessary to offset that cost; there is also the
added benefit of discouraging smoking. Opponents of the bill argue that
only 13% of the revenues would really
go toward smoking prevention and that
the rest would go to healthcare companies they consider “special interests”.

the bill is not passed, the death penalty
would remain in place. Proponents of
the bill argue that it saves taxpayers
$150 million a year, stops executions
of possibly innocent people, increases
victim restitution, and ends what many
consider a human rights abuse. Opponents of the bill say that it deprives
victims of justice and lets deplorables
off the hook for their abhorrent crimes.

is not passed, marijuana will remain
a medical only product in California.
Proponents of the bill argue that it ends
the “failed” war on drugs, reduces enforcement costs, improves civil liberties, leads to greater tax revenue, and
improves safety through increased
regulation. Opponents of the bill argue that it doesn’t include regulations
for marijuana DUIs, legalizes recreational marijuana advertising, and decreases public health and safety overall.

Prop 54: Proposition 54 is a vote to
require a 72 hour waiting period from
the time a bill is introduced on the
statehouse floor before it can be voted
on, during which time it needs to be
available online. Prop 54 also would
require that all statehouse proceedings
be streamed on the internet for voters
to access. If the bill is passed, the state
would invest a one time cost of $1-2
million, and thereafter $1 million per
year, to video and upload happenings

Prop 57: Proposition 57 is a vote to consider early parole for tens of thousands
of nonviolent felons, introduce new
rewards for good behavior in prison,
and require youths be tried as juveniles
before they are tried as adults. If the
bill is passed, many nonviolent felons
would be considered for parole early
and new considerations for good behavior would also lead to more early releases. This would decrease the burden
on the state’s prison system and result
in savings of “tens of millions of dollars annually.” If the bill is not passed,
the current criminal justice system will

Prop 63: Proposition 63 is a vote on
whether to establish a new court procedure for confiscating firearms from felons and requiring a background check
for purchasing ammunition. If the bill is
passed, ammunition buyers would have
to pass a federal background check,
large-capacity magazines (10 or more
rounds) would be banned, and a greater range of convictions would prevent
perpetrators from owning firearms. The
bill would set up a new court process
for confiscating firearms from felons.

Prop 67: Proposition 67 is a vote on
whether to end the use of disposable
plastic bags in California. If the bill is
passed, the state will prohibit grocers
and other vendors from giving customers single use plastic bags. Stores will
continue to be able to use recyclable
paper bags. There will be little fiscal impact, with slight increased enforcement
and administrative costs, but savings

in the legislature. The costs of the program would not require new taxes but
would rather come from the state’s general fund. Proponents of the bill says
it improves government transparency
and prevents moneyed interests from
quickly and surreptitiously running bills
through the legislature. Opponents of
the bill say that it is expensive, unnecessary, and could slow the legislative process to the benefit of special interests.

remain unchanged. Proponents of the
bill say it only releases nonviolent offenders, reduces prison overcrowding,
eases strain on the state budget, focuses on rehabilitation instead of punishment, and gives important rights
to youths. Opponents of the bill say
that it will release violent felons (including rapists and murderers), takes
away justice from victims of crime,
and amends the state constitution.

The bill would likely cost tens of millions of dollars annually in enforcement
costs. If the bill is not passed, current
firearms regulations would remain in
place. Proponents of the bill argue that
it would improve public safety by keeping firearms and ammunition out of the
hands of those who would cause harm.
Opponents of the bill say it decreases
public safety, infringes on civil liberties, and has a negative fiscal impact.

in waste management and environmental costs. If the bill is not passed,
single use plastic bags will continue to
be provided for a fee. Proponents of
the bill argue that the bags are a massive environmental hazard and need
to be eliminated. Opponents of the
bill say it will force consumers to pay
a ten cent fee on the recyclable bags
that would replace the plastic ones.

please recycle

News

3

October 2016

Celebrating 100 years of Open Space
Ian Shapiro
staff writer

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, a
program envisioned by Teddy Roosevelt and carried out by later presidents. Although many areas were designated as national parks by President
Roosevelt, they were not consolidated
and managed until Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service
Organic Act on August 25th 1916.
According to author Wallace Stegner,
the National Parks are “America’s best
idea”. The decision to set aside America’s most valuable and beautiful land
for the enjoyment of all was, and is, a
controversial idea, with many conservatives in Congress pushing for a statelevel takeover of many national parks.
However the signage of the Park
Service Organic act was symbolic of
a new, progressive era for the United
States. The act was also a marker of
the end of the frontier era, with wide
open space being transferred to the
government and the enjoyment of

Urban students in Joshua Tree National Park, 2014. Photo by Jonathan Howland

the people, not to the will of explorers and frontiersmen and women.
Despite the Park Service’s age, 307
million visitors flock to the parks
each year. 2016 was a record breaking
year, outpacing last year’s attendance

by 3 million visitors as of August.
Many people have controversially called
for restricted admission in the form of
quotas to the major parks like Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon, to
alleviate overcrowding at the most pop-

ular parks. However, this comes at the
expense of the parks’ original purpose:
universally enjoyable outdoor space.

Reflecting on Summer Olympics 2016
by Katie Jonckheer
staff writer

The summer Olympics take the media by storm for two hectic weeks every
four years. Although the excitement has
died down on American televisions,
the host city continues to confront the
impacts of the events. For Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the games brought pride
and creativity, but also violence, economic instability, and political unrest.
The Olympics brought the political
unrest in the country to light. Current
mayor, Eduardo Paes, was booed on
the night of the Olympic closing ceremony. The controversy about Paes was
mostly due to the allegation that he was
directing a disproportionate amount
of Olympic funds towards the wealthy
Barra da Tijuca region on the western
side of Rio de Janeiro. This is especially
controversial because Brazil has lately
fallen plague to a multitude of corruption scandals which have, in the eyes of
many, weakened Brazil’s reputation as a
developing power on the world stage.
Former president Dilma Rousseff was
suspended from office in early May and
was formally impeached on August
31st of this year. According to the BBC,
the controversy surrounding her leadership was based on her handling of
the economy: “Brazil's economic woes
started in 2011, when China began to
decelerate and Brazilian commodities began losing value in international markets … The president and her
team treated the decline as temporary
and set in motion expensive stimulus

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measures … But China's slower pace
became the new normal, and all the
measures taken by Brazil's government soon became unsustainable.” The
impeachment of the president only
adds to the chaotic political environment that was present before, during,
and unwaveringly after these games.
Political unrest was not the only controversy at the games. Some pejorative headlines in the coverage of the
games were: “It became a nightmare:
Violence, corruption and economic
woes in Rio show the Olympic model
is broken”, and “Brazil: Rio’s Olympic
legacy shattered with no let-up in killings by police”. Violence in Rio is an
ongoing issue: according to Amnesty
International, “police in the city killed
35 people in April 2016, 40 in May and
49 in June – an average of more than
one every single day”. The same website
opines, “Brazil has lost the most important medal at play during Rio 2016:
the chance to become a champion on
human rights”; they define themselves
as “a global movement of more than 7
million people who take injustice personally” and fight for human rights.
Moreover, despite any publicity or
opportunity for economic gain the
games brought, “The government’s
budget deficit this year, like last, is expected to equal about 10 percent of
economic output, up from about 3
percent in 2013”, according to Fortune.
Conversely, however, Rio’s handball

Olympic rings. Drawing by Blake Case.

arena, the Future Arena, was created
with the concept of “temporary architecture”. According to a City Lab
article about the fate of the arena, it
will be “... repurposed into four staterun schools in the nearby neighborhoods of Jacarepagua and Barra, and
Sao Cristovao on the eastern coast.
Each school will hold 500 students.”
Other stadiums, such as the Bird’s
Nest stadium in Beijing, have been
left in their host cities and have required excessive maintenance and
upkeep in the past, therefore this was

a point of consideration when building this Olympic stadium. The schools
proposed have not yet been built. Perhaps, for Rio and in the future, the
Olympics will become not only a celebration of the world’s greatest athletes, but a celebration of the power
of a group of people coming together
to improve Rio through education.

Illustration by Blake Case
It’s 11pm on a Thursday night. The
blue glow of the screen reflects off my
sun-deprived skin. I sit hunched over
my keyboard, furiously typing away at
my English essay. My neck goes stiff.
My toes fall asleep. My eyes glaze over.
Every weeknight, Urban students are
in the exact same predicament, slaving
away at their computers. Yet what is the
consequence of this seemingly innocent daily activity? From Computer Vision Syndrome to insomnia, the hours
Urban students spend online are taking
their toll.
Eyesight is one of the most obvious
concerns regarding extensive computer
use. One issue is the act of staring at a
small area for an extended period of
time. According to a survey out to the
Urban community, 14 percent of students and teachers who completed the
survey reported experiencing Computer Vision Syndrome, which is strain
on eyes caused by staring at a screen.
These symptoms include eyestrain,

headaches, blurred vision, and dry eyes,
according to the American Optometric
Association (AOA). AOA reports that
“Vision problems experienced by computer operators are generally only temporary and will decline after stopping
computer work at the end of the day …
If nothing is done to address the cause
of the problems, they will continue to
recur and perhaps worsen with future
computer use.” (American Optometric
Association, 1997).
SPMC Psychiatrist Mary Burke MD
says, “There's a lot of eye strain, and
people complaining of visual problems
because of the high intensity of gazing
at these fairly small objects in middle
range.”
The other primary concern
regarding the eyes and computer
use is the exposure to blue light. As
published by the American Board of
Opticianry in 2015, “Biologically, blue
light contributes to feelings of alertness
and well-being” when introduced in
the small natural quantities from the
sun’s rays. However, over-exposure
to blue light, which is caused by the
prevalence of electronic devices, leads
to poor visual acuity, increased risk for
age-related macular degeneration, and
negative consequences to health (Pesca,
American Board of Opticianry, 2015).
Dr. Laurel Schultz, a San Francisco
Pediatrician, says, “Screens have been
shown to interfere with our ability to
fall asleep at our normal sleep times.
And of course not getting enough sleep

has always been an issue with teens,
and [screen time] is just compounding
the problem. Lack of sleep has been
associated with a myriad of health
problems and can negatively impact
learning and memory formation.”
Musculoskeletal problems, such as
back and neck pain and carpal tunnel
syndrome go along with extensive
computer use. “Mid-thoracic back
pain… I am seeing more of this in
otherwise healthy young people. Also
I see lots of people walking around
with their necks straining forward”
said Dr. Schultz. As for Carpal tunnel,
Schultz said, “Surprisingly I see very
little of this [in young patients.] I see
it most in the parents.” Burke connects
these symptoms not simply to being on
the computer, but to the stillness that
goes along with it: “When people are
on computers, they tend to get kind
of hypnotized and sit very still. They
don't notice when they are getting
uncomfortable.” In the previously
mentioned survey, 36 percent of Urban
students and teachers reported back
pain or other musculoskeletal issues
related to computer use.
The neurological and mental health
effect of the laptop is another huge
concern. Schultz said, “I think that
the laptop/internet can be one big
ADHD producing device.” In fact, the
percentage of those seeking treatment
for ADHD has risen significantly in
the past 15 years, according to the
CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly

Report (MMRW).
Urban’s technology department head,
Stacie Muñoz, said that “Because we are
so inundated with notifications on our
computer . . . It puts us in this mindset
of constantly expecting something to
be happening . . . I feel like it's really
messing with our ability to just sit down
and focus on the task at hand.”
There are several ways to limit the
damaging effect of screen time. “Make
bedtime a priority over downtime
with non-homework related internet
content,” Schultz suggested to decrease
the effect of blue light on your sleep
cycle. If you need to look at the
computer, follow the 20-20-20 rule:
“every 20 minutes look at something
in the distance (at least 20 feet away)
for 20 seconds or more” to prevent
eye strain. Set a timer, or use a chrome
extension like EyeCare to remind you.
On avoiding blue light, Burke said,
“Getting a blue light filter for your
computer, or even if you can stand it,
wearing amber colored glasses can
help.”
Taking a break from screen time is
crucial: “even if you are super focused
for those 25 minutes, you should take
a break,” Muñoz says. Turning off
notifications on your laptop may help
with focus. So Urban students, do not
fret. While we do spend hours toiling
at the keyboards, implementing these
simple techniques will help soothe our
headaches, ease our eyes, and to give
our backs a well-earned break.

Bay Area Rising Water Level Is Cause For Concern

Photo of Mission Creek, WikiCommons, Payton Chung, September 8, 2007

by August Ackley
staff writer

It’s counterintuitive that during a
time of global warming and drought in
California, the Pacific Ocean is rising.
www.urbanlegendnews.org

Sea level rise is hugely exhibited in many
regions of the Pacific, such as Hawaii.
When Urban students were asked
about their knowledge on sea level,
94 percent of students identified it

as an important issue, although 88
percent of students did not consider
themselves well-informed on the issue.
So what is sea level rise? There are
two main causes of sea level rise, both

relating to global warming. The first
is due to thermal expansion, or the
warming of the oceans. As water heats
up, it expands. Secondly, the decrease in
ice-based land due to increased melting
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5

Features
October 2016

Continued from page 4
of glaciers also adds to the rising seas.
According to Wired Magazine, “More
than 20,000 people from [The Marshall
Islands] moved to an unremarkable
corner of Arkansas.” There are many
other people like the Marshallese
who are currently battling the rising
levels, such as the Biloxi-ChitimachaChoctaw,
a
Native
American
tribe living in coastal Louisiana.
In a study done by Northern Arizona
University, it was found that Isle de

Jean Charles shrunk from “some
15,000 acres to a strip of about a
quarter-mile wide by a half-mile long.”
The National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Association predicts that
“almost 40 percent of the population
lives in relatively high-populationdensity coastal areas, where sea level
plays a role in flooding, shoreline
erosion, and hazards from storms.”
The SF Curbed published an article on
the areas of the city that will eventually

be hit the hardest. One large issue is the
possibility of Mission Creek flooding: “
... with a little bay rise added, it becomes
an avenue for floods that could swamp
a significant chunk of the waterfront
during storms and high tides.”
As climate change raises sea levels,
The San Francisco Bay Area’s risk of
flooding increases. The SF Chronicle
published a project called “Rising
Reality”, in which John King, an urban
design critic outlines these challenges.

The Complexities of Choosing A Meal

by Katherine Weltzien
staff writer

Can food be nutritious, sustainable,
and cost-effective? “I certainly
think it’s doable ... I think one of
the barriers might be thinking that
it’s not doable,” said Dietitian Erica
Eilenburg. “I think there might be
some sacrifices made, not everyone is
in the boat where they can go to Whole
Foods and buy all their food from
there and buy whatever they want.”
This fall, along with the new building,
Urban acquired a new food service.
Fare Resources has been endeavoring
to balance nutrition, sustainability, and
affordability within the school lunch
program. “I think if you ultimately sit
down and you eat food that’s grown
well you’re going to taste a difference.
And you’re going to want to pay
more money for it because it tastes so
much better,” said Rachel Sillcocks,
head chef of Fare’s Urban kitchen.
When asked about the expense of
the new food, Ben Lee (’17) said,
“I am definitely willing to pay a
premium for food that is sustainable
and local, and especially so for
high-quality produce and meats.”
Skyler Baker (’18) felt differently,
“I’m not willing to pay more than I
think is reasonable. For example, I
think that Fare Resources’ $9 salads
are … charging us a ridiculous
amount, to the point where it’s not
even accessible to get healthy food.”
Though the conflict between cost

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and quality plays out on a micro
scale at Urban,the lack of affordable,
nutritious food is also a huge national
issue. “42.2 million Americans lived in
food insecure households, including
29.1 million adults and 13.1 million
children,” according to a factsheet
published by Feeding America. The
branding used by many food companies
only adds to the complexity of choosing
a meal. For example, Pepsi is currently
facing a lawsuit from the Center for
Science in the Public Interest (CPSI) due
to the advertising of their Naked Juices.
“PepsiCo’s ‘the goodness inside’
ingredient key misrepresents that
drinking Naked products is akin to
consuming, whole, the fruits and
vegetables pictured on the label, when
it is not, and that the vitamins in
Naked products come from its fruits
and vegetables when, in fact, many
are added by the manufacturer,” reads
the lawsuit, as filed by the CPSI. The
combination of misleading branding
and societal influences make healthy
eating seem far more complicated,
and expensive, than it needs to be.
“Now everyone’s not eating this
because this one article came out that
said it’s not recommended … without
people really knowing the truth, or the
research, or what recommendations
would be from a dietitian. It’s more of a
societal and cultural influence, and that’s
what people follow,” said Eilenburg.
To make an affordable, balanced diet

In a portion of the project dedicated the
response of the city, King estimates that
“$35 billion worth of public property
in San Francisco is at risk if sealevel rise by 2100 reaches 66 inches.”
66 inches may not seem like a lot, but
in actuality, it could “affect 1,160 San
Francisco buildings”, SF Curb estimated.
The rise in sea level throughout
the world may seem arbitrary right
now, but the list of affected areas
will get longer as time goes by.

easier, Eilenburg said to “buy a bunch
of carrots on Sunday when you go to
the grocery store ... and put them in
snack bags so you have them for the
whole week.” She suggested doing
the same for nuts, “or something that
you can portion out and take with
you.” She emphasized that, “at its
simplest, eating nutritious food is just
a matter of building meals around
whole foods in the basic food groups.”
Jade Barnblatt (’18) said, “I also focus
on having a balanced meal, like having carbs, having vegetables, having
protein, and sugar, but not that much.

I just really try to have a balance.”
Regarding the future of America’s
food culture, Wyatt Sandberg, head
chef at Gus’s Community Market, said,
“We're already seeing positive changes
occurring with the resurgence in small
farming. Food policy is changing, the
amount of access to food education
is incredible, and even school lunch
programs all across the nation are
being updated and improved. I believe
we need to do as much as possible
to support these changes to bring
our food system back to a balance.”

www.urbanlegendnews.org

Urban students react to new Salkind
Center
continued from page 1

by Colin Heath
staff writer

of the Gym to the common spaces as well as the classrooms”, said
Kami Kinkaid, a member of the
design team of the new building.
In spite of the changes, the architects attempted to integrate some
features ubiquitous to the old Urban in the new. “Having small
spaces or study niches … you guys
make space wherever you can, and
we didn’t wanna lose that quality
when making a new space with a
different approach,” said Kinkaid.
“Old” Urban also played a role in
influencing the design of the building. “[The inspiration for the new
building was] how your students
use your existing campus, and having a space right next to the Panhandle, and how those two pieces
intertwine,” said Kinkaid. In spite
of the fact that the building adds
significantly to Urban’s overall
square-footage, space was the biggest design challenge. “Trying to
prioritize getting you [the school]
as much space as possible. There
are limitations of what that is and
what that can be,” said Kinkaid.
Students interviewed for this
article had mixed impressions of the building itself.
“I think it’s very architecturally
and visually appealing,” said Lily
Niehaus (‘18) of the new building. “I really like the Page Street
entrance, how nice the concrete,
plants, and reflective glass are.”
However not everyone at Urban was pleased with the final
product.“It let me down,” said Lucas Lepinard (‘17). Lepinard’s primary complaint was, “I thought it
was going to be a lot cooler, and it’s
just a gym, and not as much of a
student center as I expected … The
whole student area is bad, and it’s
Urban FARE cook
prepares lunch for
the student body.

all spread out and super small, and
there’s not enough tables,” he said.
Another important consideration
of the new building is what it will
change culturally about Urban. Although far less tangible than physical aspects of the new building, its
opening not only expands Urban
physically but could also affect the
zeitgeist of Urban. “What stands
out to me is that everything is centered around the gym … which is
cool, because I think it will bring
more spirit to Urban, during basketball and volleyball games,” said
Niehaus of the cultural changes.
Students also speculated about
how the addition of the new building will or will not change the
school’s social centers of gravity. “I
think that the juniors and seniors
definitely gravitate more towards
the old building because that’s
where we’re used to hanging out,
but I think it will affect where the
Freshmen and Sophomores hangout in the future,” said Niehaus.
Others raised doubts about the
new building’s ability to meaningfully change where Urban
students spend their free time at
school. “Most people are gonna
stay in the Old Building … people might study there, but it [the
new building] doesn’t provide
enough of a reason for people to
go over and stay,” said Lepinard.
Architectural and behavioral analysis aside, only time will
tell whether or not the opening of the new building is the beginning of a new era of Urban.

Editorial
As Urban enters the 2016-17
academic year, the school might
be unrecognizable to a graduate
from just a few years ago. New
and changed sports teams, investment in STEM programs, a
larger student body, a new building, dramatically higher tuition,
and what many consider to be
a completely new school culture and typical student are all
things members of the Urban
community have noticed changing around them in recent years.
With all these rapid developments, it is important for us to
take stock of where we stand
and decide how we, as a community, either embrace or resist the
changes happening around us.
Founded in 1966, Urban states
its goals to be to “ignite a passion for learning” and “instill
a consciousness of social justice, an ethic of citizenship and
a commitment to service” in
its student body. On the surface, Urban has changed a lot
since then, gaining more students, faculty, and real estate.
However, for most of its short
history, Urban has remained
largely culturally static and homogeneous. This is now changing right before our eyes, and the
staff of The Legend believes that
we should embrace the change
with optimism while not losing
sight of where we came from.
Urban has long been known for
its commitment to social justice
and the arts, as is evidenced by
our strong service and visual/
performing arts programs. The

(Taken from http://
urbanat50.org/) old
photo of Urban students hanging out at
school.

school culture has historically
been integrated with this commitment, with the average Urban
student being invested in many
different types of activism and
creative endeavors. While this
is certainly still true for many
Urban students, to us, Urban is
starting to feel a lot more like
other independent schools in
the Bay Area such as Lick-Wilmerding or University. This can
be attributed to several factors,
the most obvious being the new
building. Not to mention the fact
that the entire Salkind Center is
oriented around the gym, adding
more symbolic weight to athletics at the school. Another factor
is the school’s recent investment
in more STEM programs. The
new UrbanX lab, new classes
like Industrial Design, and more
faculty hires demonstrate the
school’s newfound commitment
to the sciences, elevating them
in importance close to the arts.
Furthermore, Urban’s tuition for
this school year is up to $42,500,
a stunningly high figure that, we
would argue, erodes the school’s
progressive persona. Considering that, it wouldn’t be a leap
to conclude that the school is
in the midst of a rebranding, as
evidenced by the pricey redesign of the school’s logo. These
dramatic shifts in the school’s
dynamic have also changed

the type of student Urban attracts, as well as made the school
more selective with enrollment.
With all these changes, we feel
that Urban is slowly losing its
counter-culture reputation and
cornering off more students who
are interested in athletics or the
sciences as well as artists and activists. This is changing Urban,
culturally, to a much more diverse atmosphere intellectually,
culturally, and philosophically.
The staff of The Legend asserts
that this is fundamentally a good
change. We should embrace this
shift and make the most of it,
but that does not mean losing
where we came from. At The

Legend, we don’t believe Urban’s
traditional values and changing
culture are inherently in conflict, but rather quite compatible.
Greater diversity, whether ideological, cultural, or intellectual,
can do nothing but benefit us.
Indeed, we are likely witnessing not a departure from our
old values, but an affirmation of
the Urban identity: the school
is finally coming into its own.

New basketball
hoop at the Salkind Center.

Old photo
of an Urban
student tipping off in
a basketball
game.

continued from page 1

Student Buy-In and Fare's Future at Urban
by Olivia Meehan

According to Crynes, the cost of
ingredients for an average sandwich at Fare is about 40% of the
total cost charged. In a normal
restaurant, Crynes explained that
the cost of ingredients is 25%, resulting in a sandwich at Urban
costing $10.50. However, he noted that “that sort of price within a school doesn’t seem right.”
Hence the company is being subsidized by the school at a rate described by Walters as constantly
“evolving and really a function of
the sales.” This money is a planned
part of the school’s budget. “We
build [a budget] in a way so that we
nearly break even, but we always
have a very small cushion,” Walters
continued. “Usually it’s about 1%
of the total revenue that we have
in case things change through the
year … This might be an example

staff writer

where some of it will go to Fare.”
In regards to the future of this
partnership, Crynes said that, “t
this point, I almost certainly know
that (especially in the first year)
there will have to be an amount
of monetary support from Urban to make this model work.
Hopefully in the future, we will
have a tested model and engaged
population such that … subsidizing could decrease significantly.”
“Urban is the first real project
for Fare Resources” Sillcocks commented. “The values of the company are solid, but the evolution process of inputting those values into
a program like Urban involves a lot
of conversation and trial and error.
It involves talking to the students, ...
then going back and revising. How
do we educate you about things that

The Urban Legend
From the Urban Legend 2016 Application:
The Urban Legend is a vehicle of student freedom of expression
and a public forum for The Urban School community. It is a forum
for reporting school, community and global news and for the exposition of student-generated news coverage, commentary and wit.
Journalism students strive as a team to find, create and publish excellent student work in a timely manner and to provide their peers
and the school community with fresh, pertinent news and diverse
perspectives on a variety of events and topics.
The Urban Legend seeks writers of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, cultures, races, religions, and sexual orientations.
The Legend is published in print and online several times a year.
Find us at www.urbanlegendnews.org.
Adviser and Journalism Teacher: Raina Mast
Fundamentals of Journalism Teacher: Sarah Levin

2016-2017

may seem a little bit costly, but that
we are really enthusiastic about?”
In a survey sent out to the student body, 38% of the 100 students
polled stated that they did not feel
educated about how Fare sources
their food, and a further 27% said
that they did not care. To address
this, Sillcocks said that the Fare
team seeks to share more information by holding forums, sending
out emails, and putting up posters
to address the true cost of food.
“There is a very powerful dialogue to be had around the price of
food,” Sillcocks said, “which is why
it is so exciting to be here. We knew
we would have to start at a low price
point because you can go to Haight
Street Market and buy a sandwich double the size for the same
price; but there is a reason for that.”

Editors-in-Chief of Newspaper:
Zoe Meneghetti and Ian Shapiro

Crynes explained that making
Fare’s business model work is not
easy. “If you want a program that
does the sourcing we are doing and
pays people well, that also (caters to a
school that) has an open campus, it's
really challenging to make it off your
own revenue,” Crynes said. “Participation (from the students) is the biggest thing,” he emphasized. “We need
to have a level of participation that
will justify the cost of ingredients.” f
a company with the high standards
and morals of Fare succeeds, it is
a revolutionary breakthrough for
school catering in San Francisco.

TRUMPVERSUS
CLINTON
Letter from the Editors:
The Urban Legend selected two students to write endorsements of the two
major parties' presidential candidates. These pieces were written by guest
writers independent of this publication and their views do not necessarily
reflect those of the Urban Legend. The mission of The Legend is to be a
"vehicle of student freedom of expression and a public forum for the Urban
School community", and allowing guest writers to express their views helps
us better achieve our mission. We applaud Skylar and Latté for taking a risk
in sharing their views, no matter how unpopular, with the entire community
because these articles will hopefully create productive political dialogue.
-Ian Shapiro and Zoe Meneghetti

Why I support Donald Trump
by Latté Hutchinson
guest writer

Why do I support Trump? First
Trump is a very controversial candidate this election. He can say some
demeaning things, and is easy to hate.
However, I agree with many of his
ideas. First, he does not bow down to
so-called ‘political correctness’, defined as “the avoidance, often...taken
to extremes, of forms of expression
that are perceived to exclude… or
insult...people,” according to Google.
Disregarding the conventions of political correctness keeps dialogue
open and does not censor topics of
discussion just because one might
feel offended or insulted. It is not productive to go around the world having only comfortable conversations.
Secondly, I agree with his views on
illegal immigration. According to
the Department of Homeland Security office of Immigration Statistics,
over 11 million undocumented immigrants reside in the United States.
Census data on undocumented immigrants also reveals that 13.6 percent have committed other crimes
during their tenure in the United
States, including murder and kidnapping. The department of Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) estimates that there are more than 1.2
million undocumented immigrants
with criminal records at large in the
U.S. Trump has reasonable plans to
fix our broken immigration system,
such as putting up a wall to stop
people from coming into the country illegally, similar to Israel’s border
wall along the Green Line and Spain’s
Melilla border fence. Even “Mañana”,
one of Mexico’s largest newspapers,
argues that a wall on Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala is a necessity for border security. Additionally, Mr. Trump’s wife Melania had to
go through the citizenship process
herself, and I believe that this will
make Trump want to make the legal
citizenship process more accessible.
Moreover, Trump’s idea of temporarily banning immigration from
countries that are hotbeds of Islamic
radicalism is a strategic way to battle
www.urbanlegendnews.org

the ever-present threat of terrorism.
The Foreign and Commonwealth
Office has explicitly advised “against
all or all but essential travel,” to the
city of Kabul, regions of Afghanistan,
Syria, and Iraq, as well as other Middle Eastern countries due to the high
threat of terrorism. In Iraq, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh
and Morocco more than 80% of the
respective Muslim populations favor
making Sharia Law their official law.
Impermanently withholding immigration from high-risk countries will
ensure the safety of our own country
because we will be able to take the
time to more thoroughly perform
security checks and develop better
systems for vetting immigrants. Banning immigration to the US based on
someone’s religion is clearly unconstitutional, however, if that person is
immigrating from a high-risk country, they should be carefully checked
and investigated. There have been
too many innocent lives lost to Radical Islam, like in the attacks in Orlando and New York earlier this year.
Trump wants to uphold our National
security, and that I can get behind.
Furthermore, I think that Trump
will do a great job helping minorities due to the fact that conservative
values call for equal opportunity and
the freedom to better one’s life. Today, there are many laws that ensure
equality of opportunity for all Americans regardless of their identities.
People need to take personal responsibility for their own lives and take
advantage of the opportunities given
to them, and Trump will uphold that
value of individual responsibility,
which I have come to firmly favor
due to my middle school experience.
I went to a public middle school in
West Oakland. Teachers were there
to teach, supplies were there to use,
and facilities were there for occupation. Yet, some of my classmates
decided to throw away the potential
within them. It frustrated me that
they did not take charge of their edu-

October 2016

cation. I listened, did my work, and
graduated. I worked hard. Yet, despite my effort, most of my former
classmates associated my success
with my being half white, yet race
had nothing to do with anyone’s level
of academic performance. Those
classmates exhibited no personal
responsibility at school. Similarly,
Trump isn’t scared to hold people
accountable for their own failures.
He and I believe in the power of the
individual and understand that it is
one’s own duty to make something
out of oneself. The belief of the individual is an aspect of the foundation
Trump builds his platform and policies upon. Everyone is given an equal
opportunity to succeed, it is the path
one chooses to walk that dictates if
they will reach their goal or not.
Though agreeing with some of
Trump’s tactics is rare at Urban, I
think it is important to stand up for
what I believe in despite the social
consequences. “If you want to be a
real human being - a real woman, a
real man - you cannot tolerate things
which put you to indignation, to outrage. You must stand up. I always say
to people, 'Look around; look at what
makes you unhappy, what makes you
furious, and then engage yourself in
some action,’” says Stephane Hessel. I’m willing to be one of the few
conservative voices at Urban because
there are few others eager to be.

Why I'm with Her
by Skylar Baker
guest writer

Although I am not old enough
to vote, I have and will continue
to give my full support to Hillary Clinton throughout the 2016
Presidential Election. When talking about why Clinton would be
a good president, one will hear
phrases like "she's the most qualified," or "she has the best plan."
While these are good reasons, they
lack the nuance that demonstrates
why Clinton is the best presidential candidate for the United States.
Since her first presidential campaign
in 2008, I've viewed Clinton as someone who exemplifies the very things
my family has raised me to value:
female empowerment, generosity,
open-mindedness, and moderation.
Clinton has spent her career improving the lives of those who have been
disenfranchised because of their
gender, race, or other marginalized
identities. From giving kids of lowincome families health insurance
through the Children’s Health Insurance Program to travelling to Beijing
to speak at the UN’s World Conference on Women to advocate for
women’s rights, Clinton has a proven
track record of standing up for those
who need it most. In the current
election, Clinton has unapologetically made it clear that she gives her
full support to the LGBT community
as well as other groups she had un-

fortunately failed to give previously.
As a vocal Hillary supporter, possibly the most frequent argument in
opposition to her I hear is that she
is untrustworthy. Many of her opponents and everyday detractors
tend to bring up the attack on the
American Embassy in Libya which
occurred during her term as Secretary of State, in addition to her use
of a personal email server as reason
for why she is untrustworthy. However, Clinton has gone under the
scrutiny of a Congressional Hearing for both of these, and neither
time was she convicted nor found
guilty of any crime or unlawful action. Most recently, Donald Trump
has refused to release his tax returns
and has said that he is unable due
to an audit by the IRS. The IRS declared this statement untrue. Clinton
produced her tax returns without
question; this alone demonstrates
her higher level of trustworthiness.
The most prominent factor that
separates her from Donald Trump is
her centrism, which has two advantages. Firstly, it makes her a stronger
bipartisan candidate because she will
not lean too far to either side of the
political spectrum on many important issues, such as foreign and economic policy. In government, nothing can get passed without bipartisan
cooperation; party tribalism has lead
to the blocking of many liberal policies in the past. This can be seen in
the recent congressional vote on gun
control. A seemingly bipartisan bill
that would prevent suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms was
blocked due to senators voting almost exclusively within party lines.
Furthermore, my own views are neither strongly liberal nor conservative
but they are in line with Hillary Clinton’s, and I trust that she allow our
country to progress by working with
the currently very divided congress.
Her domestic policies have been
developed with the intention of
improving the lives of everyday
Americans. From increasing the
minimum wage to $12 dollars to
supporting initiatives to create jobs,
Clinton is a strong advocate for the
people. Her foreign policy is rooted in these values. She will prioritize our country's safety, and vows
to strengthen our relationship and
support of regions such as Europe,
East Asia, and Israel. I believe that
having strong ties with these regions is critical for America’s well
being as it promotes fair trade, economic growth and regional stability.
For these reasons, Hillary Clinton
is not only the candidate most representative of my values, but also
the most intelligent and prepared.

please recycle

9

Opinions
October 2016

Preserving academic freedom within safe spaces

Discomfort is a universal experience: a state of emotional
pain that leaves one unsettled,
insecure and hurt. Unpleasant
as it may be, I believe it’s necessary to face discomfort in order
to develop both intellectually
and socially. Everyday discomfort often arises unexpectedly,
however, in an academic setting,
it can sometimes be anticipated.
This raises ethical questions
that have lately provoked a
contentious national dialogue,
particularly on college campuses. To what extent should
students be exposed to discomfort in the classroom? Is
it appropriate or beneficial
for students to be shielded
from contentious material?
Attempting to answer these
questions without first addressing the inherent ambiguity behind key terms has proven an
exercise in futility. Some of
the most troubling and frequently misunderstood phrases in this debate include trigger warnings and safe spaces.
Urban’s safe spaces typically
manifest as environments in
which all viewpoints are welcome and students are at liberty
to stumble in their speech without fear of judgement. In contrast, a recent letter welcoming
incoming freshmen to the University of Chicago denounces
a different type of intellectual
safe space, where students can
“retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own.”
The University’s concern is
based on a perceived link between safe spaces and censorship. In his speech, Free Speech
on Campus, Professor Geoffrey Stone of the University of
Chicago Law School explained,
in this “era of political correctness... colleges and universities,
afraid to offend their students,
too often surrender academic
freedom to charges of offense.”
If outside Urban’s walls safe
spaces are indeed used to avoid
any discomfort that may arise
due to differences, it is appropriate for the University of Chicago to do away with such a
practice. Professor Stone sites
evidence from a recent survey that “65 percent of all college students now say that it is
unsafe for them to express unpopular views.” It is clear that
many voices are not being heard.
Safe spaces, though, should not
necessarily be abolished, but
rather reimagined to invite freeplease recycle

dom of speech and expression.
Perhaps even more complex is
the ethical dispute over trigger
warnings. Greg Monfils (History
and English Teacher) and Dan
Matz (History Teacher) both view
trigger warnings as an exercise
of good sense on a teacher’s part.
While certain subject matter such as rape or suicide may
be more clearly associated with
trauma or discomfort, a teacher
cannot possibly be aware of all
the various sensitivities students
may have developed from their
personal experiences. Nonetheless, Matz said, “I think I have
a responsibility to at least try to
anticipate those things (that may
provoke an emotional response).”
Similarly, when asked about
the role of students in notifying
teachers of their personal sensitivities, Monfils responded, “If
I'm given no warning, it's still my
responsibility to anticipate what
might be traumatic for some.”
At a place like Urban, this system generally works. The teachers are well aware of the diversity
of backgrounds, beliefs and values represented in the classroom
and are prepared to respond to
all types of reactions to material. Additionally, Urban teaches
its students to engage in mature
and intelligent discussions, even
those that involve potentially
disturbing subject matter. “At
a school with more (dogmatic)
teachers,” said Matz, “I’m not
sure that kind of dialogue exists.”
In a different type of academic environment, a trigger
warning might be utilized as a
means of protecting students.
But isn’t there a difference between sheltering a student from
trauma and retracting an invitation to a speaker on the basis of objections to his or her
views, as has lately been a trend
at colleges across the country?
In his speech at the Howard
University
Commencement
Ceremony on May 7, 2016, President Obama discouraged this
practice, saying, “Don’t do that-no matter how ridiculous or offensive you might find the things
that come out of their mouths.”
It may be the case that Urban
and other high schools need to
err on the side of caution regarding potentially disturbing
speech. “We have a greater responsibility to protect students
if only because they come in so
young,” said Monfils. Even in
a college setting, trigger warnings are sometimes very im-

portant in making sure all are
prepared for difficult conversations and all voices are heard.
“Sometimes knowing and having an opportunity to talk about
and prepare for the content can
be sufficient to help a student
stay in the room,” said Matz.
At the same time, however,
there needs to be a balance between protecting young stu-

by Olivia Mitchel
staff writer

dents and preparing them
for a world where concern
about other people’s sensibilities isn’t necessarily the norm.

Who are you helping?
Imagine an Instagram picture
of an Urban student surrounded
by a bunch of small children in
a third world country, the caption reads: “So thankful for this
trip, these kids changed my life”.
These service trips to exotic impoverished areas around the
globe, also known as “voluntourism”, have become a popular
way for the affluent of America
to spend their summers: they
give up the ocean view under
a cabana to help out an underprivileged community. According to an article published in
the New York Times, these trips
and their supposed transformative properties have become so
commonplace in high schoolers’ lives that “the running joke
in admissions is the mission trip
to Costa Rica to save the rainforest” said Ángel Pérez, Trinity College admissions officer.
People in affluent communities want to help other people
while experiencing another culture There is a Western ‘messiah
complex’ which, according to
Psychology Dictionary, is a belief
that you are destined to save others. According to the independent consultant TRAM (Tourism Research and Marketing), in
2008, roughly 1.6 million people from the US spent between
$1.7 billion and $2.6 billion on
voluntourism activities. Voluntourism is not always just about
wanting to help a community in
need. For some, it’s about padding a college application, hoping to help themselves stand out
in the sea of qualified applicants.
I am not here to judge the
motives of the trips, but rather
to ask about the impact. Why
should a group of high schoolers with little or no experience
with physical labor be building a school? If your goals are
truly altruistic, why not pay local laborers to do the work you
would do? There are two actions
you can take in relation to these

by Diego Lopez
staff writer

service trips. Firstly, you can
stop going on them or choose
to go on cultural exchange programs instead. Secondly, you can
research the organization you
are volunteering with to ensure
that they are really dedicated to
helping the community in long
run, not just giving you something to do during your summer.
“Go and do cultural exchanges
versus service trips”, said Director of Service Learning, Amy
Argenal, “you can do a homestay… and if they are working
on something, be able to partner
and contribute.” These cultural
exchanges are very similar to the
popular voluntourism trips but
these focus on learning about a
new culture and are not a façade
of helping out another nation's
poor while in reality, having less
altruistic goals. These trips still
benefit impoverished areas because you would be staying with
a family in a village and spending
money - but instead of it going
to an outside organization - it all
goes to the place you stay. Cultural exchanges are very good at
facilitating real connections with
the community you visit. Jade
Barnblatt(‘18), who went on a
voluntourism trip to Fiji said she
went,“because it was a homestay
... that was probably one of the
biggest factors for me, because
staying in someone’s house is
super Americanized.” Barnblatt
became close friends with one
of the boys who she stated with
and “whenever he goes to Nadi
... where there is electricity he
will Facebook message me.”
These
cultural
exchanges
give everything that a service trip promises without
the
questionable
“service”.

www.urbanlegendnews.org

Sports

10

December 2016

A look into the Urban School runner's mindset
by Ana Gorski
staff writer

“I swear to god I’ve run longer
than 3.1 miles.”
“Oh no is that a cramp?!”
"What if I just stopped?"
Sound familiar? Chances are that
you are on the Urban Cross Country team. Running competitively
requires being both physically and
mentally fit.
“Physical is a more important development than mental [while racing], but as you progress physically
you have to start developing mental
stamina. To tell yourself ‘yes I can
do this’ and when you find yourself lagging, to be able to push on
faster at that point--that’s mental,”
said Bill Cirocco, the Urban Cross
Country coach.
Mental toughness is a term used
in sports that describes the athlete’s
mental capacity to continue working despite external conditions.
James Loehr, a sports psychologist
who created one of the first descriptions of mental toughness, proposed seven dimensions of mental
toughness: “self-confidence, attention control, minimizing negative
energy, increasing positive energy,
maintaining motivation levels, attitude control, and visual and imagery control.”
Many Urban Cross Country runners have attributed their success to
their ability to stay mentally fit and
positive throughout the race. Having an unshakeable belief in ability
is critical in performing that some

elite runners practice cultivating
a positive belief in their ability in
their free time. Methods such as
visualization and meditation curb
anxiety and prepare runners for
races.
“I recommend athletes practice
meditation and visualization skills
on a daily basis by setting aside 1015 minutes each day. I ask that my
athletes focus on positive images
because negative images can create anxiety and tension that could
hinder their performances. Positive
images help to relax the mind and
body, which can lead to enhanced
performance,” said Dr. Kristin
Keim, who has a Psy.D. in Clinical
Psychology with a focus in Clinical
Sport/Performance Psychology.
“Almost all of it [running] for me

F**K!

How is that
guy passing
me?

is mental because you have to push
yourself to the limit. Everybody’s
bodies, although they are not all
the same, theoretically can all do
the same amount of work. It’s just
if you can tell yourself that you can
do it or not,” said Simone Alunan
(‘20), who is in her first year of high
school cross country.
“Running is something that has
helped me realize the benefits of
pushing myself and really going
literally the extra mile. That’s actually motivated me to push through
when it’s really hard because I know
what the feeling is like at the end.
Knowing that feeling and being able
to consistently have that feeling after races because I’ve had more as
of this year has really helped me in
the moment during races to really
I am going
to drop out.... I am
going to drop out...
NO NO NO I CAN’T
THOUGH

You're
almost there!

Urban girls Varsity Cross Country team at meet
Oct. 20, 2016. Photo by Will Hoppin. Text in the
bubbles are thoughts that anonymous members
of the cross country team said run thourgh their
head while running.

Turnout remains low for certain Urban School sports teams
Fan turnout at Urban sporting
events varies greatly depending on
the sport. According to Athletic Director Joe Skiffer, teams like boys’
tennis, girls’ softball, and swimming
typically have a low fan turnout.
However, some Urban teams have
recently won several tournaments
and broken school records. In the
2015-2016 school year, boys’ varsity
soccer won the Western Bay Counties League and the North Coast
Section tournament, boys’ varsity
basketball won BCL West and were
NCS tournament semi-finalists,
and boys’ lacrosse made it to the
NCS tournament. Girls’ teams have
also achieved recent successes, with
girls’ varsity cross country making
it to NCS and coming in 12th place
at the state meet, girls’ varsity soccer winning BCL West and making
it to the NCS tournament, and girls’
varsity basketball winning the BCL
tournament.
As more emphasis is placed on
Urban sports through the construc-

tion of the Salkind Center and the
emphasis on our teams’ recent successes during the admissions process, one might reasonably assume
that more students attend Urban
sporting events. While students
have turned out in droves for Friday night soccer games, it is rare
that even a single student fan shows
up to a boys’ tennis match or a girls’
softball game.
“The typical turnout is either just
a few parents of the kids, and occasionally someone from Yearbook
will come and take photos. That’s
about the extent of the fanbase,”
said Izak Sheinfield-Kandel (‘17), a
player for The Urban School’s tennis
team. Sheinfield-Kandel attributed
the low turnout to a combination
of factors. “First, the matches aren’t
on campus, so people have to walk
twenty minutes to go to them. The
sport itself is not very entertaining
at the level that we play it at. You can
have a high school soccer match, a
high school basketball game be enIllustration by Olivia
Meehan, Asssistant Visuals Editor.

www.urbanlegendnews.org

just push a little harder even though
it may seem impossible,” said Lily
Niehaus (‘18), a returning runner
from last season and leading scorer
for the girls varsity team.
Although cross country is a demanding sport, running is a practice that many people find hard to
do without. The repetitive motion
of feet pounding against earth, a
steady breath, and a clear mind are
what keep runners loving the sport.
Jonathan Howland, Dean of Faculty
and English teacher at the Urban
School, ran competitively from ages
35 to 45, and runs anywhere from
two and a half to 14 miles everyday.
Last year, he ran 350 days in a row
and then stopped counting.
“I think running has helped me
be more supple, appreciative, openlunged and open-hearted. The hurt,
strain, and challenge I've experienced running has led me to build a
practice of yoga and 'opening.' The
breath I need and appreciate while
running, and the meditative space
of the steady heartbeat has led me
to take up (modest) meditation in
seated/quiet form. Movement is
awakening, for me, on every level
– the mind, the heart, the feet, the
cells,” said Howland in an email to
the Urban Legend.

tertaining just because of competition and the sports themselves, but
tennis, unless it’s being played at a
high level, is really hard to watch,” he
said. “A lot of our fan participation
is parents, and occasionally teachers, but very rarely is it students,”
said Stephan Ciulla (‘17), who had a
similar experience playing baseball
at Urban. Like Sheinfield-Kandel,
Ciulla attributed the low turn to
similar reasons. “One [of the reasons students do not come] is game
time and the other is location. Location can vary, there aren’t a lot of
fields near Urban, and those that are
by Urban are difficult to get to after school. Our games are typically
around 3:30, and we have to leave
early from school, and it makes it
difficult for students to come out to
games,” said Ciulla.
Exposure was also an issue some
athletes pointed to. “There’s not a
set place for people to sit down and
cheer. I also think people aren’t as
into tennis as they are into soccer
because it’s not as advertised,” said
Daniela Mortazavi (‘18), an Urban
tennis player.
Student-athletes were
not very concerned about
the low attendance, however. “It would effect me
if there was literally no

by Colin Heath
staff writer

one cheering, but because there’s
people from other schools and our
own team that cheer for us, it’s fine,”
said Sophie Klein (‘18), a cross
country runner.
In the past, Student Committee and Urban Athletics Club have
organized a taco truck at the boys
and girls varsity doubleheader
basketball game and passed out
treats at Friday night soccer games.
Sheinfield-Kandel mentioned that
giving out food and promoting the
event is a way to increase interest.
“It wouldn’t be drastic, but I think
if they offered a bunch of donuts or
promoted it as a school event [more
students would come]. University
has big red Fridays, and they get
people to come,” he said. Similarly,
Ciulla believes that making traditions that involve the students will
make the difference. “Other schools
have something like a game at Oracle Arena, where you get a lot of people excited about certain sports...If
we were able to have more formal
venues for games there would be a
higher level of excitement from the
student body,” he said. Both students asserted that until Urban is
able to build a culture that emphasizes sports more, the turnout will
remain low.
please recycle

Sports

10

October 2016

San Francisco 49ers make headlines for off field controversy amidst defeat
Upcoming sports events:

by Ian Shapiro
staff writer

It was not a good off-season for the
San Francisco 49ers. CG technology, a
Las Vegas based betting and wagering
technology firm, bets that the Niners
will lose all 16 of their games by at least
two points. This was a huge disappointment to fans who saw the Niners win
the NFC title just four years ago.
After a rough first season without
longtime coach Jim Harbaugh, where
the Niners went a pitiful 5-11, the
franchise reorganized itself. The program hired former Philadelphia Eagles
and University of Oregon coach, Chip
Kelly, and fired coach Jim Tomsula who
was widely blamed for the team’s woes.
In 2015, the 49ers finished last in their
division and were ranked 29th out of 32
in the ESPN end of season power rankings.
However, the controversy for the
49ers lies not in their 2015 season disaster or bleak 2016 season, but rather
in their off-field antics. Quarterback
Colin Kaepernick made national headlines in August when he chose to not
stand for the national anthem in a preseason game in protest for unjustified
police killings of African Americans in
the United States. Kaepernick's protest
spread within the National Football
League and other professional and high
school level sports, prompting demonstrations from players such as 49ers
safety Eric Reid and multiple members
of the Philadelphia Eagles.

In San Francisco, the entire Mission
High School football team kneeled during the national anthem in solidarity
with Kaepernick.
"I am not going to stand up to show
pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of
color,” said Kaepernick in an interview
with the NFL network. His protest has
sparked controversy and debate across
the United States, including Urban’s
hallways.
In an online survey sent out on September 14th 2016 by the Urban Legend,
71 percent of the students surveyed
supported Kaepernick's protest. On
September 7th, 2016, the school hosted
a forum on Kaepernick and the national anthem in the Saint Ignatius room,
and a teacher and student panel featuring teachers Greg Monfils and Charisse
Wu, and athletic director Joe Skiffer.

“I support [Kaepernick] to an extent,”
explained Christopher Williams, the
Outreach Coordinator for the admissions department. “I believe he is exercising his right, whatever that means …
Colin Kaepernick is using his status to
make a point and to solidify his stance,
and the NFL is one of the easiest places
to do this. The cameras show people
standing, and his protest will be evident.” Outside of Urban, the support
for Kaepernick is not as strong. According to a nationwide YouGov poll,
57 percent of Americans disapproved
of the protest. An even higher number
of whites–69 percent of them– disapproved of the protest.
However, not all the off-field controversy lies within Kaepernick’s protest:
tight end Bruce Miller was released
by the 49ers on September 5th, 2016
after being arrested on seven different
counts of felony assault, including assault with a deadly weapon at a hotel in
Fisherman’s Wharf. Longtime 49er and
outside linebacker Aldon Smith was
released in 2015 and picked up by the
Raiders after his fifth arrest and third
DUI in three years.
So far this season, the 49ers are 1-4,
with a victory over the Rams, with
losses against the Seahawks, Cardinals,
Panthers and Cowboys. Despite the low
expectations, Niners fans remain faithful, and continue to sell out every game
in Santa Clara.

Members of Urban's varsity volleyball team practice in the new Salkind Center Gymnasium Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2016. Photo by Alyssa Romo

www.urbanlegendnews.org

This year, there has been the biggest
increase of girls volleyball players since
Athletic Director and Boys Varsity
Basketball coach Joe Skiffer has been
at Urban. With 38 students showing
up to tryouts, the Urban School was
able to field not only full varsity and
junior varsity teams, but also create a
new freshman-sophomore team. The
creation of the “frosh-soph” team is
expected to add competitiveness to Urban’s volleyball program, one that has
flailed in the past.
Since the first day of tryouts on August 15, Urban Athletic Director Joe
Skiffer knew that the creation of a
freshman-sophomore team was manageable. With a whopping 129 freshman this year, 36 students more than
the class of 2017, more student-athletes
was to be expected. “With more girls in
the program, I think it will add more
competitiveness, which is healthy” said
Skiffer.
“I’m excited about the future of the
program. It’s great to have so many kids
involved,” said Assistant Head of Athletics and Varsity volleyball coach, Kali
Hayes.
The new frosh-soph team practices
as much as JV and varsity, which is five
days a week; excluding game days. The
demanding game and practice schedule
contributes to the competitive atmosphere of the team.
“Despite being a frosh-soph team, our
coaches make the point that playing
time is not equal,” said player Somerset
Miles Dwyer (‘20).

According to Miles Dwyer, playing
time is determined by “both physical
and mental attendance, and skill level.”
Perhaps this competitive atmosphere
speaks to the undefeated record that
the team has held thus far in the season.
However, the frosh-soph team is not all
work and no play.
Though technically a freshman-sophomore team, the team is built with 12
freshman.
“I really enjoy it [the frosh-soph
team]... It has been a great way to meet
new people,” said Asante Spenter (‘20).
“I’m very glad they [Urban] made a
frosh team. There are more options for
people to try new things,” said team
member Remy Noveshen (‘20).
With the growing number of Urban
students, positive reaction from the
new frosh-soph team, and cuts that
happen in almost every Urban sport,
one may wonder if Urban will start creating more teams for each sport.
According to Skiffer, for any sport that
plays and practices on the Urban campus, Urban will most likely create a new
team. This could apply for fencing and
girls basketball, as the boys basketball
program already fields three teams.
Because of the growing number of
Urban students, and cuts that happen
in almost every Urban sport, positive
reactions from the new frosh-soph
team may lead to more Blues teams in
Urban’s future.

please recycle

12

Caboose

Hacks of haight

October 2016

by Olivia DiNapoli

staff writer

As I enter my fourth year at Urban, I notice those who are just beginning. During my years, I have become a seasoned Haight
street hacker, and I wish to pass on my knowledge. Enjoy!
1. Calling into “Hippie Thai” and ordering at the beginning of lunch allows you to skip the line and spend less time waiting
around for food. More time for lunch time clubs and forums!
2. The corner store on Masonic and Haight sells a variety of popsicles for $1 or less. Perfect for sunny afternoon break in the
garden.
3. When you buy your first Gus' sandwich, ask your cashier for a sandwich card and make sure to always keep it in your wallet.
4. There’s a mediation room in the back of “The Love of Ganesha”, a store between Clayton and Ashbury, free to use.
5. Stop into one of the thrift stores on Haight St. and buy a cheap scarf on a cold day!